Prospect prepares for league test in winning fashion

Prospect's girls volleyball team will be playing for first place in the Mid-Suburban League East when it visits Hersey on Tuesday night.

The Knights tuned up by getting an early taste of first place - in their own invite.

Posting its longest winning streak of the season, Prospect went 5-0 on Saturday to win its own Sandy Pifer Invite at the Jean Walker Field House in Mt. Prospect.

After a three-set win over Maine East, the Knights won their next four matches in two sets, including the 25-19, 25-23 triumph over Lake Zurich that decided the title.

Lake Zurich (9-9) came into that final match with a 3-1 record in the tourney.

"We came into the tournament knowing we had a big match with Hersey on Tuesday," said Knights senior libero Nikki Giammarino, who had a big match against Lake Zurich with 20 digs and a key ace. "So this was a great way to hopefully start a big week."

The Knights (14-4 overall) started out strong against Lake Zurich with a 4-0 lead behind senior setter Michelle Haaning's 4 service points, which included a kill and a block from junior Maggie Porwit.

"We knew we would have some tough matches in this tournament," said Haaning, who handed out 26 assists against the Bears, who were fourth in the Peggy Scholten Volleyball Classic earlier this season. "We wanted to come out with a lot of energy and make sure we ran a quick offense when we had to. Now we have to stay focused the rest of the week."

Haaning added 3 more service points during a run in which the Knights went ahead 17-11, forcing Bears coach Rachel Wiatrowski to call her first timeout.

The Bears (9-9) got back to within 3 points and trailed 21-18 when junior Hannah Sweetwood put down a kill.

But Prospect answered with 4 of the next 5 points, including the set-winning kill by Porwit off a back set from Haaning.

"It was just staying mentally tough and not giving up," Giammarino said. "It was a long day but we all kept up our energy which was really important for us to be successful."

Set 2 was tied from points 6 through 14 before Prospect edged ahead 16-14 when junior Kaela Myers blocked an overpass and senior Sammy Withey produced a block.

Lake Zurich tied the set at 17 on an ace from Rachel Corrigan.

Sweetwood's kill off a set from Kylie Dykgraaf gave LZ a 22-20 lead but the Knights came back to tie it when senior Brenda Kendziera blocked an overpass off a hard attack from Myers to make ti 22-21. Myers' kill off a set by Giammarino evened the score.

The Knights' libero served her team to a 24-22 lead (kill by Myers and block by Haaning) before a net violation got the Bears to within 24-23.

Wiatrowski used her second timeout before Prospect came back to get the match win when Haaning set Myers for her ninth kill of the match from 26 attempts.

Myers, Haaning and Porwit were named to the all-tourney team along with Sweetwood and her classmate Lexi Gora.

"I liked the way Lexi played defensively and she was strong on offense," Wiatrowski said. "She was mentally there the whole tournament. Hannah (Sweetwood) gave us good all-around play and Briana (Reitsch), our libero, has made some really good progress the last few weeks and it really showed in this tournament."

Lake Zurich showed its strength the two-set wins over Lake Park, Palatine and Maine East.

"I think we have to give more defensively if we want to compete at the next level up," Wiatrowski said. "We'll go through serve receives where we give up 3 or 4 points at once, and we've got to get better control of that."

Palatine (13-6) hopes to maintain control of first place in the West when it visits Conant on Monday.

After going 2-3 and tying for third place Saturday, Palatine coach Dan Gavin would like to see his team find its best stride with three conference matches this week.

"This past week wasn't our best," he said of the previous seven days. "But that's the beauty of the schedule at this point of the season - you've got matches to play where you can get right back on track."

The Pirates were sidetracked a bit Saturday when they lost junior outside hitter Claire Chaplinsky to a sprained ankle in their first match of the day against Lake Zurich

"Krista Anderson (senior) saw her first extended playing time of the season and I thought she responded real positively," Gavin said. "She stepped up (21 kills, 5 aces) and I'm proud of her."

Other statistical leaders for the Pirates were all-tourney selection Heather Holz (42 kills, 7 aces), Sydney Christiansen (255-of-272 for 97 assists) and Alyssa Kronberg (76 digs).

Leaders for Prospect on attack against Lake Zurich were Kendziera (6 kills) Porwit (5) and Mary Mazurek (5).

Haaning, with a beautiful dump for the Knights' 22nd point in Set 1, and Withey each had one l kill.

Myers collected 10 digs followed by Haaning (7), Porwit (3) and senior Kelly Prete (3) while Withey led with 2 blocks.

"The girls were really excited about winning this tournament because it had been at least seven years," said Prospect coach Laura Gerber. "I thought they played real well, kept up the intensity and continued to swing well the whole tournament. There was good communication and good all-around play."